Building unit with laterally related interfitted panel sections



I Nov. 30, 1965 R. H. GOLDMAN 3,220,151

BUILDING UNIT WITH LATERALLY RELATED INTERFITTED PANEL SECTIONS FiledMarch 20, 1962 I5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBERT H. GOLDMAN AT TO RN EYNov. 30, 1965 R. H. GOLDMAN 3,220,151

BUILDING UNIT WITH LATERALLY RELATED INTERFITTED PANEL SECTIONS FiledMarch 20, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. GOLDMAN BY 9 %nm \A. LL ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1965 R. H. GOLDMANBUILDING UNIT WITH LATERALLY RELATED INTERFITTED PANEL SECTIONS 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 20, 1962 FIG INVENTOR.

" 9 1? ROBERT H. GOLDMAN AT TORN EY United States Patent 3,220,151BUILDING UNIT WITH LATERALLY RELATED INTERFITTED PANEL SECTIQNS RobertH. Goldman, 4549 Pinetree Drive, Miami Beach, Fla. Filed Mar. 20, 1962,Ser. No. 181,117 3 Claims. (Cl. 52572) This invention relates to a novelform of structural panel that may be employed for either side walls,partition walls, floors, ceilings and also roofs.

The device comprises two molded panel sections of any desirable heightand length and with the two sections adapted to be bonded together in amanner to form vertical and horizontal voids that constitute columns andupper and lower beams when concrete or other fluid plastic material ispoured into the voids.

Each of the panel sections are provided upon their mating sufaces withspaced apart groups of lugs, either square, round or other configurationand whereby the lugs of one panel will have mating engagement into thespaces between the lugs of the adjacent panel and with the lugs inassembled relation being bonded together by suitable cement whereby thepanel sections are held together against displacement and with thespacing of the groups of lugs constituting voids that communicate withupper and lower voids whereby, when the panels are erected in a buildingstructure may be filled with fluent material, such as concrete andwhereby the concrete will flow downwardly through the voids between thegroups of lugs to constitute columns and also to flow into the lowervoid to constitute a continuous lower beam and, when the voids arefilled, the upper beam will be created, all constituting a continuousand uninterrupted circumferential beam that is integral with the columnsand whereby to form a panel structure having great strength andinterlocking with the several voids to form a relatively solid panelthat has cementitious material calculated to have a maximum weightbearing quality.

Each mating panel is molded in a suitable mold from any desirablecementitious material or, the panels of each mating pair may besimultaneously molded in a single mold and then split, sawed orotherwise separated to form the separate panels that are adapted to bemated with each other. It is contemplated that the panels shall bemolded of a light weight aggregate .and cement, or the panels may beformed of suitable plastic material such as the well known Styrofoamand, when assembled, the mating lugs will be engaged and cementedtogether and the lug engagement will maintain the panel sections in asuitably spaced relation so that the overall thickness of the unit willcorrespond substantially to the recognized thickness ofa conventionalwall structure and with the outer faces of the panel being relativelysmooth.

It is also contemplated that the lugs on each panel section shall beprovided with axial recesses to thereby decrease the weight of the unitin assembled relation.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be moreclearly apparent during the course of the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like charactersof reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the severalfigures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one panel section,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a mating panel section,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the panels of FIG- URES 1 and 2 inassembled parallel relation,

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 5-5 ofFIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view, parts broken away to illustrate acomposite panel structure that has been filled with concrete or otherplastic material,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a panel section showing amodified form of the invention,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mat-- ing panel section,

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal section corresponding to FIGURE 5 with thesections of FIGURES 7 and 8 in mating relation,

FIGURE 10 is a vertical section through a pair of a mating sections,illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8,

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of a further modified form of theinvention, and

FIGURE 12 is a section taken substantially on line 12--12 of FIGURE 11.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there has been illustrated agenerally rectangular panel section 5 and a mating panel section 6. Eachof the panels is molded from a suitable plastic material such as cementor concrete and the panel sections 5 and 6 may be formed of anydesirable dimensions as to length and height. The panel section 5 isprovided with a plurality of groups of lugs 7 and the panel section 6 isprovided with a plurality of spaced apart groups of lugs 8. Each groupof lugs are molded integral with the panels 5 and 6 and are in staggeredrelation and spaced apart as shown so as to form voids 9 that arevertically disposed and the uppermost and lowermost lug of each group ineach panel are spaced from the upper and lower marginal edges of thepanels an equal distance. Each of the lugs are preferably recessed asshown at 9' and with the recesses extending from the outer ends of thelugs to a position substantially flush with the inner faces of each ofthe panels. The recesses are primarily formed to reduce the weight ofthe overall structure, as will be apparent.

Each of the lugs are so spaced to form recesses 10 into which the lugsof a mating panel may have relatively snug engagement in the assembly ofthe unit. The panels 5 and 6 may be individually molded or, as founddesirable the two panels may be formed in a mold device and then split,sawed or otherwise separated to provide the separate mating panels.

In the use of the device so far described, the panels having beenformed, they are engaged in mating relation with the lugs 7 and 8interfitting to form a substantially square separator between the panelwalls 5 and 6. In such assembly, a suitable cement, such as the wellknown epoxy resin is coated upon the mating faces of the lugs '7 and 8so that when assembled, the two panels 5 and 6 will be held together inparallel relation against separation, forming an upper void 10', a lowervoid 11 and the vertical voids 9. The panels in assembled relation asbefore pointed out, may constitute the full length of any proposed wallarea and also are made in such proportions as will, constitute the fullheight of the wall. The panels may be formed to provide both window anddoor openings customary in building structure. With the panels inassembled interlocking and cemented relation, the panels are installedinto a building opening and the fluent cement or concrete shall bepoured into the upper void 10', flowing downwardly through the voids 9to create the lower beam 12, the columns 13 and the upper beam 14,completely surrounding the interlocked lugs 7 and 8. It will be apparentof course that the ends of the assembled unit will be closed by theabutment of the device against preformed corner columns of the building,such limiting the flow of the concrete to the ends of the unit and theflow of the concrete in the end columns will have a bonding PatentedNov. 30, I965 engagement with the corner columns of the building. Theassembled structure will preferably have an overall width ofapproximately eight inches, being the recognized width of walls normallyformed of concrete blocks although not limited to such width. In mostconcrete structures, a floor area is first installed to overlap thefootings of the building and the panels of course will rest upon suchfloor extensions. The lugs 7 and 8 may be of any desirable configurationbut, are formed in groups for interlocking or abutting side engagementwith the lugs of a mating panel and so spaced that they will form thevoids 9, 10 and 11. The lugs may be of diamond or other shape butdefinitely the lug will correspond and have interfitting or abuttingside engagement with the lugs of the mating panel.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8, there has been illustrated panelsections and 16. The panel section 15 is provided with a plurality ofgenerally rectangular groups of ribs 17 of any desirable length whilethe panel sections 16 is provided with substantially identical ribs '18,that are staggered and spaced with respect to the upper and lower edgesof the panel sections 15 and 16 so that the ribs 18 willfittingly engageinto the spaces 19 of the panel 15, while the ribs 17 will fittinglyengage into the spaces 20, formed by the spacing of the ribs 18. Theribs when in mating interlocked engagement will dispose the marginaledges of the panels 15 and 16 at an identical elevation. The groups ofribs 17 and 18 are spaced apart on each panel, forming voids 21 betweenthe groups of ribs, corresponding to the voids 9 of the first form ofthe invention. Each of the ribs 17 and 18 are preferably longitudinallyapertured, as at 22 to reduce the overall weight of the assembled unitand also to permit a certain amount of the concrete to flow into theends of the apertures thus further interlocking the members together.The ribs 17 and 18 are also coated with epoxy resin or a similar bondingagent at assembly so that the complete panel may be formed and rigidlyheld together during such time as the panel is being elevated andinstalled into a wall opening. The panel sections 15 and 16, whenunitedalso form the columns between the ribs and the end column and also toform the voids 23 and 24, that extend longitudinally of the unit and topermit the forming of the upper and lower beams that are integrallyformed with the columns poured into the voids 21. Basically, thestructure is substantially the same as the first form of the invention,the only difference being that the lugs 8 are in the form of ribs.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 11 and 12, panelsections-25 and 26 have been provided but here, the panel section 25 isprovided with an inte grally molded vertically extending rectangularblock 27, while the panel section 26 is provided with a correspondingblock 28. The blocks establish the predetermined spacing between thepanels 25 and 26 and are spaced apart so as to form the voids 29, 30 and31, that constitute the means for forming the columns and beamsaccording to the forms of the invention previously described. This formof the invention, having no definite interlocking engagement between theblocks 27 and 28.

In each of the forms of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-10inclusive, the members carried by the panels have a definiteinterlocking engagement. The shape and size of the blocks 8 and the ribs17 and 18 may be varied so as to define any desirable configuration thatwill perform the interlocking engagement between the panels while theform of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 11 and 12 merely constitutespacers between the panels 25 and 26 but in each form of the invention,the several voids have been provided into which concrete is poured afterthe panel has been installed in an upright manner into a wall opening.While the device has been primarily described as being of moldedconcrete, it will be clearly apparent that the panels and theirassociated interlocking lugs and ribs may be molded of a suitablerelativelylight weight material such as Styrofoam. It is alsocontemplated that the panels and their interlocking members mayconceivably be formed of extruded Styrofoam or like plastic materials.Basically, the panel sections are initially molded and bonded togetherwith their lugs or ribs in interlocking engagement, thus maintaining thepanel sections in properly parallel and aligned posi tion and obviouslywill be held against accidental separation by the use of the selectedcement that may be brushed or sprayed over the several interlockingelements. The structure described may of course be formed in anydesirable dimensions and it should be understood, that the panels may beof such dimensions as to constitute wall blocks or similar structuralelements.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided avery novel form of structure that may constitute the outer walls of abuilding, partition walls, flooring and also roof structure. The panelsand their integral lugs may be molded of any desirable material havingadequate strength as a weight bearing member and are quickly andeconomically formed in a suitable plastic mold requiring only that thelugs of the two mating sections be cemented together in the forming ofthe complete panel device. The structure is light in weight and easilyinstalled, requiring a minimum of labor for the installation of theunits and the subsequent pouring of the cementitious material into thevoids to form the columns and the beams. The use of such a device isrelatively cheap as compared with the usual cost of constructing a walldevice of concrete blocks and simultaneously forms a complete andrelatively solid structure having a maximum weight bearing factor. Asbefore pointed out, the panel section 5 and 6 may be molded of Styrofoamor other light weight plastic material and then the added strength ofthe unit being formed by the pouring of the cementitious material intothe voids formed by the lugs. While the lugs have been illustrated asbeing groups of square protuberances integrally molded with the panels 5and 6, these groups of lugs may be formed in one solid block withalternate groups of blocks being omitted. The lugs constitute thespacing means between the walls of the panels 5 and 6. It will beclearly apparent to anyone skilled in the art, that suitable reinforcingsteel may be installed in the voids 9, 10 and 11 and with the steelbeing suitably connected at the base of the unit to the supporting floorstructure and also, where superimposed panels are installed, the steelmay extend upwardly beyond the beam 14 to be suitably connected to thereinforcing steel in the next adjacent units.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin'the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A wall-forming unit comprising laterally spaced panels ofsubstantially equal longitudinal and transverse length and a pluralityof ribs integrally formed with.

and extending laterally from a face of each of said panels, the ribs ofboth of said panels being spaced and arranged. to jointly providebetween the panels a plurality of spaced groups of ribs located withinand spaced from the peripheries of the panels and forming a peripheralvoid within the peripheries of the panel and at least one void betweenthe spaced groups of ribs, the ribs of both panels within each groupcomprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced rows of ribs extendingtransversely along the inner face of the respective panel, the ribs ofeach row being in transverse spaced relation, the peripheries of all ofsaid'ribs presenting a plurality of rectilinear surfaces ,ofsubstantially equal dimenison, the adjacent rectilinear surfaces of twotransversely spaced ribs of one row of a first panel and the adjacentrectilinear surface of a rib located in the row immediately adjacentsaid last-mentioned one row providing, with the the transverse dimensionof the ribs located on said first panel, all of said ribs extendinglaterally of the inner face of the panels a distance substantially equalto the spacing of the panels and at least one rib within each row of onepanel extending Within the voids defined by the ribs of the remainingpanel providing an interfitting engagement therebetween wherebycementitious material may be located Within the peripheral void and thevoid partially formed by the spaced group of ribs.

2. The Wall-forming unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ribs are ofsquare cross-sectional configuration and each group comprises three rowsof ribs, at least one rib of each row of said first panel extending intovoids formed by the ribs of the other panel.

3. The wall-forming unit as set forth in claim 1 where- 6 in a. thirdpanel is located adjacent said first panel and the ribs of one group ofsaid other panel extend into voids formed by the ribs on the first paneland the remaining ribs of said other panel extend into voids formed byribs located on :said third panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,381,823 6/1921Griflin 50-453 XR 1,889,699 11/1932 Ranck 50-363 2,770,965 11/1956 Engel50430 XR 2,795,949 6/1957 Muhr 50-430 X 2,852,807 9/1958 Altschuler50-268 X 3,000,144 9/1961 Kitson 50-268 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,429 6/ 1937Australia. 161,742 3/ 1955 Australia.

15,956 7/1914 Great Britain. 222,774 10/ 1924 Great Britain.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

1. A WALL-FORMING UNIT COMPRISING LATERALLY SPACED PANELS OFSUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE LENGTH AND A PLURALITYOF RIBS INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH AND EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM A FACE OFEACH OF SAID PANELS, THE RIBS OF BOTH OF SAID PANELS BEING SAPCED ANDARRANGED TO JOINTLY PROVIDE BETWEEN THE PANELS A PLURALITY OF SPACEDGROUPS OF RIBS LOCATED WITHIN AND SPACED FROM THE PERIPHERIES OF THEPANELS AND FORMING A PERIPHERAL VOID WITHIN THE PERIPHERIES OF THE PANELAND AT LEAST ONE VOID BETWEEN THE SPACED GROUPS OF RIBS, THE RIBS OFBOTH PANELS WITHIN EACH GROUP COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLYSPACED ROWS OF RIBS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ALONG THE INNER FACE OF THERESPECTIVE PANEL, THE RIBS OF EACH ROW BEING IN TRANSVERSE SPACEDRELATION, THE PERIPHERIES OF ALL OF SAID RIBS PRESENTING A PLURALITY OFRECTILINEAR SURFACES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL DIMENSION, THE ADJACENTRECTILINEAR SURFACES OF TWO TRANSVERSELY SPACED RIBS OF ONE ROW OF AFIRST PANEL AND THE ADJACENT RECTILINEAR SURFACE OF A RIB LOCATED IN THEROW IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID LAST-MENTIONED ONE ROW PROVIDING, WITH THEINNER FACE OF SAID FIRST PANEL, AT LEAST ONE LATERALLY EXTENDING VOIDSUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE RIBS FORMED ONTHE OTHER PANEL, THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF TWO TRANSVERSELY SPACED RIBSOF ONE ROW OF SAID OTHER PANEL AND THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF A RIB LOCATEDIN THE ROW IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID LAST-MENTIONED ONE ROW PROVIDING,WITH THE INNER FACE OF SAID OTHER PANEL, AT LEAST ONE LATERALLYEXTENDING VOID SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THERIBS LOCATED ON SAID FIRST PANEL, ALL OF SAID RIBS EXTENDING LATERALLYOF THE INNER FACE OF THE PANELS A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THESPACING OF THE PANELS AND AT LEAST ONE RIB WITHIN EACH ROW OF ONE PANELEXTENDING WITHIN THE VOIDS DEFINED BY THE RIBS OF THE REMAINING PANELPROVIDING AN INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT THEREBETWEEN WHEREBY CEMENTITIOUSMATERIAL MAY BE LOCATED WITHIN THE PERIPHERAL VOID AND THE VOIDPARTIALLY FORMED BY THE SPACED GROUP OF RIBS.